RAM or CPU

nukes · April 21st, 2003, 06:20 PM

I want my computer to go faster.
I use it for heavy C and Fortran compilation, along with running FAD during idle time. I want both of these to increase.
K7S5A
XP1700 @ 1650mhz
512mb Crucial PC133 @ 150mhz
Is it worth buying a faster CPU for £50 like a XP2000 or so, or going for 512mb PC2700 and seeing if I can clock the chip higher?
Also, do you get much out of buying Crucial other than the lifetime warranty? I presume that doesn't cover you if you kill the RAM somehow. Does it help you much as I've found some Generic RAM to clock just as well as Crucial/Micron. I've got some Generic PC100 (Cube I think) that is happily running 136mhz here.

Sweeper · April 21st, 2003, 06:40 PM

Your post is confusing... you say you have PC133 (which would be SDRAM) but you want to try PC2700 (which is DDRam). Does your board support both? If not, I would keep the CPU and swap motherboards with a stick of DDR2100 or 2700, or higher if you have the $$$.

Xtreeme · April 21st, 2003, 06:44 PM

For compiling the cpu is gonna be the big gain. As its math co-proc. intensive. Get the best cpu you can afford. The XP 2200+ retail 3 year warrenty is under $117 now days. I use kingston mem. Its cheap-reliable and also has a lifetime warrenty. $35.00 for 256mb pc2700 cas 2.5 or $60 for the same in 512mb stick. THats as cheap as the good stuff gets. My vote is for the cpu upgrade as 512mb mem is enuff for that. Going DDR thugh will amke the cpu faster instead of the slow sdr you have.

Xtreeme · April 21st, 2003, 06:45 PM

Sweeper
The ECS K7S5A can run either ddr or sdr BUT not both at the same time. He just needs to ditch that sdr for some real mem and upgrade the cpu a little. IMHO. I have that board too by the way. Its a good mobo-just not worthy compaired to my Nforce2 hehe.

nukes · April 21st, 2003, 06:48 PM

Sorruy, I thought I mentioned. It is a K7S5A so it supports both types. The reason I said PC2700 over PC2100 is that even though I have a K7S5A I still want to overclock. Buying the RAM would be a stepping stone to getting a new mobo, as it isn't worth buying a SDR motherboard with overclocking features as they aren't as good as the DDR ones. and I would be ditching myself with crap goods. I was hoping to get a NF2 mobo once I raise the cash after this and then let rip with this CPU (XP1700+ unlocked DUT3C) which should be good for about 1.8/1.9 with the cooling I have on it.

chris64 · April 21st, 2003, 06:52 PM

PC2700 would be a good upgrade because you can probably get the 1700+(if its a tbred) to 2000+ levels with good ram.

EDIT:

Nevermind. Forgot its the K7S5A. The board is probably holding you back from overclocking.

nukes · April 21st, 2003, 06:55 PM

Xtreme you weren't much help, you said go for the CPU then go for the RAM. The fastest CPU I can afford is a XP2000, which my XP1700 posts as now. The ram from crucial is £50 for 512mb PC2700 Cas 2.5
Which will give me the better bang for the buck. I am leaning towards the RAM.

EndobioticChaos · April 21st, 2003, 06:59 PM

Definitely go for the ram. Your CPU is more than adequate already, even at stock speed.

nukes · April 21st, 2003, 06:59 PM

Thanks Chris. I can have limited OCing on this board thanks to the OC bios, but the RAM would be a stepping-stone to a better mobo as well.

Sweeper · April 21st, 2003, 08:56 PM

Definitely go with the PC2700. You will notice a big difference from the SDRAM you are using now. I would keep the CPU for now, it's a decent CPU and you said you have it at an XP2000 now.